Calophyllaceae


Clusiaceae


Hypericaceae

Family description

Shrubs to trees with white to yellow sap.
Leaves opposite, sometimes with stipule like structures
(Hypsophylls), simple, untoothed, often with straight
secondary veins placed very close and parallel.
Flowers bisexual, with 4-5 sepals (connected) and 4-5
showy petals. Stamens many, usually free. Style long.
Fruits are drupes.

Family description

Small to large trees (in Asia) with white to yellow
sap.
Leaves opposite, simple, no stipules, but
sometimes a stipule like structure, often with
wavy canals that look like extra veins.
Flowers unisexual, 4-5-merous. Stamens many,
often bundled, rarely with apical gland. Styles short,
broad and blunt.
Fruits are fleshy and have several seeds.

Family description

Herbs, shrubs and trees with yellow to red resin.
Leaves opposite, margins entire, with gland dots.
Flowers with 4-5-parts and 5 to many stamens,
variously bundled or not, the anthers sometimes
with glands.
Fruits often a berry or drupe, but in Cratoxylum
a capsule with winged seeds.

General info

Distribution Pan-tropical, 13 genera and 460 species.
Ecology Lowland, often on poor soils.
Uses Timber.
Similar to Clusiaceae, but differ in the bisexual flowers,
the free stamens, the sometimes large apical glands of
the stamens, and the long styles.

General info

Distribution Pan-tropical, but mostly American. With
14 genera and 600 species.
Ecology Usually in the forest understorey to sub-
canopy.
Uses Edible fruit (Mangosteen).
Similar to Calophylaceae, but see remarks there.

General info

Distribution pan-tropical. With 9 genera and 540
species.
Ecology Usually in open, light rich places. Also
common on wet soils sites.
Uses Timber.
Similar to Calophyllaceae and Clusiaceae, but the
genus Cratoxylum can be easily distinguished by the
capsular fruit with winged seeds.

Treated genera

  • Calophyllum (many close parallel veins)
  • Mesua (pinnate veins)

Treated genera

  • Garcinia

Treated genera

  • Cratoxylum
IMG_0044.jpg
Mesua flower

Mesua_borneensis.jpg
Mesua borneensis

Garcinia_nervosa.jpg
Garcinia nervosa

Garcinia_mangostana.jpg
Garcinia mangostana

Cratoxylum_sumatranum.jpg
Cratoxylum sumatranum